Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa — A Secluded SoCal Escape
At this Mediterranean-inspired SoCal escape, private gates open onto 45 acres of gardens, olive groves and 49 casitas, which have all been thoughtfully renovated (along with the restaurant, bar, meeting spaces, spa and fitness center) to the tune of $30 million. Better yet, more than seven miles of fields dedicated to polo and horse training separate the all-suite Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa from the I-5 freeway, guaranteeing peace and quiet for guests.
Four different kinds of suites — Agave Suite, Olive Grove Suite, Palm Suite and Valencia Suite — range from 900 to 1,300 square feet. And if their list of amenities sounds exhaustive, that's because it is: custom furnishings, 600-thread-count linens, down bedding, illy Café Espresso machines, TOTO interactive toilets, flat-screen HD televisions, spacious bathrooms, large walk-in closets, Bang & Olufsen sound systems and Bose CD and iPod technology. Villas add the luxury of 3,500 square feet of living space, with three bedrooms, hand-painted tiles, marble bathrooms, jetted plunge pools, private terraces and indoor/outdoor fireplaces.
The most secluded offering, The Hacienda, is often booked for wedding parties and boasts 5,000 square feet in an adobe-style private home with a full kitchen, a private heated pool and whirlpool spa, as well as wood-burning fireplaces in almost every room. Property-wide amenities further the resort's agenda for indulging. Along with classic services like 24-hour room service, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the resort, babysitting, concierge and complimentary parking, guests also enjoy a few wow-inducing extras, such as complimentary mini bars, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a newspaper delivered each morning and access to a private fleet of Porsches (available on a first-come, first-served basis).
Recreation can be found in many forms, from active sports to leisure activities. Guests can partake in the excellent tennis program, as well as spin and Pilates classes, hot air balloon rides, croquet and bocce ball. They can also play a few rounds at the neighboring (and complimentary!) The Farms Golf Club. Additional pastimes include relaxing nature walks, bike rides, and opportunities to find your center at the Serenity Yoga Pavilion. Also popular is whiling the day away at one of two outdoor heated pools and hot tubs — one family and one adults-only — or at The Spa at Rancho Valencia, where the treatments utilize rejuvenating herbs, flowers, oils and minerals.
Satisfying hunger pangs, house fine-dining restaurant Veladora serves farm-to-table "coastal ranch" cuisine with pairings from a top-notch wine list. The striking setting boasts a Damien Hirst butterfly art piece that takes the breath away. The stylish Pony Room pays homage to the area's equestrian lifestyle and serves up gourmet bar food, and the outdoor fire pits present cozy spots to sip craft tequilas and nibble on lobster sliders.
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